TENT OF MEETING AND TENT OF TESTIMONY

TENT OF MEETING AND TENT OF TESTIMONY 

 

 

A tent was the dwelling place of a nomadic person. When the sacred tent was meant, it was usually used with some distinguishing epithet. Two compound phrases ( ohel moed and ohel haeduth are used in the Bible to designate this tent: "the tabernacle of the congregation" (Exod. 29:42,44), literally the "tent of meeting" (NRSV, NIV, NAS, REB), this being not where men met to worship, but the place, God-appointed, where He met with man, and where man came to meet with Him; and "the tabernacle of witness" (Num. 17:7) or "tent of witness." In this case it was not the place where men proclaimed truth but where the God of Israel proclaimed the truth and spoke to men. The basic Hebrew term (mishkan) translated as "tabernacle" (Exod. 25:9) comes from a verb which means "to dwell." In this sense it is correctly translated in some instances as "dwelling," "dwelling place," "habitation," and "abode." Christ in John 1:14 became both Tent of Meeting between God and man, and Tent of Testimony through which God spoke to man.
In our tabernacle God has chosen to come and dwell within. He wants us to use this "vessel" for His purposes as His instrument, setting it apart (sanctifying) for noble and righteous good works.